Welcome one and sundry to this week's Hockey Soapbox. This is place where that you, the fans, can offer your opinion on a series of subjects. Not everybody will agree, but that's the freedom of speech.
On the panel this particular week are the usual suspects. We have your co-editors Mark and Tony, Nathan, the Scottish Steeler herself Nicki, Fergus and the eccentrically challenged but wonderful Eric. So what have the panel had to say this week? Read onwards...
1. Five words on Saturday
3. How good is Robert Dowd performing at the moment?
Eric: Simms has always called Dowd "The Golden Child" yet that's bit over the top if you ask me. However, the guy is really turning it on at the moment, what is it 6 in 6? Whatever his current stats are, you really have to admit that him, Nelson and Valdix are leading the way on point production within the Steelers side. Long may it continue. Going down the stretch "The Golden Child" may be the difference between silverware or not. Either way he really is finding his form at the right time.
Fergus: As per his name, he really is the golden child, could walk into any team he wanted (bar NHL) and we really need to make sure he stays here for good!
Mark: He always seem to come really alive at this stage of the season which is good for the supporters and club alike. The combination with his "Bash Brother" Levi (Nelson) and Andi "Yaldi" Valdix is probably the best line and consistent one all season. One hopes the chemistry is retained next season and helps us to some silverware; this. Despite his injuries this season, he's been almost a point a game and nobody can argue with that. Well can they?
Tony: Robert Dowd's form is a mystery to the scientific community, it's red hot for patches, and then immediately frozen out again. Love the energy he's playing with, and Nelson and Valdix seem to bring the best out of him. Still the Premium Brit forward in my books - just wish we knew how to keep him warm!
Nathan: Robert Dowd is on fire! He's in full on play off mode and not only him but that line of him Nelson and Valdix look unstoppable. A repeat performance on Saturday please guys!
Nicki: We all knew he would get through that bad spell. I'm so glad I choose to have his name in the back of my shirt this year. He never lets us down.
4. Which area of our team is the weakest link so far?
Mark: The problem is defence, or at times lack of. Fitzy has been solid as usual on his blue line whilst chipping here and there offensively. Ratchuk is better as a winger than in an offensive defence slot, Franzon is steady but he could be upgraded easily and Coyle isn't the same as he was last year - perhaps a change of tactic is to blame. "Shaggy" has done alright when BOC is just well, BOC. Didn't mind Björklund, he was steady and dependable just as I thought he would be.
Poor old Moose has been left hanging a few times this season; not as much as the Bears NM; but still he's been left exposed far too many times and we've been asking him to bail us out which isn't fair on the man.
Tony: Anything to do with the media. On Ice is fine. Back-office is OK. Media jumps from crisis to crisis and doesn't seem to want to change.
Nathan: The D is our weakest link and has been all season. Franzon and Coyle aren't good enough I'm sorry to say so that's at least 2 new D men the "Best Coach in the League" will have to find for next term.
Fergus: DEFENCE! It's almost non existant, we need to get in some big hard defenders who arent actually afraid to throw a hit every once in a while!
Nicki: Weakest link is still the D. We just don't have enough presence back there. Need much bigger guys to cope with the size of forwards the Devils and Belfast have.
Eric: By far and away the weakest link on the side is defence!! Most say that championship sides build from the back, and I believe that still holds true. Maybe the coach wanted entertaining, attacking hockey, but for me he got it wrong on his balance. To many offensive minded D men with not enough blue liners.. It's been a weakness from early on, with the coach seemingly neglecting our defence while bringing in forwards to shore up the it's shortfall. Unfortunately it will bite Thompson on the ass as history will show at the end of the season.
5. Cardiff have allegedly "bought" the title so far according to some, do you think there should be a salary cap enforced rigorously to avoid this happening?
Fergus: No definitely shouldn't be enforced rigorously, this year has been the best hockey we've seen across the league and it's only going to get better, even the smaller teams are looking promising.
Nathan: Any team with real aspirations of achieving success will spend money but they still have to win the thing and do so over 50 odd games of hockey so I don't for one minute subscribe to the 'bought the title' hogwash.They've earned every thing they get this season and good luck to them. I do however think a salary cap would help benefit parity across the league.
Nicki: I don't think their should be a cap. If other teams moan then they need to start stepping up to the plate and getting more money from sponsors into their own teams so that they have the same budgets to work with.
Mark: As much as there would be a good call for a salary cap, the question remains on how you would police such a thing? The bigger clubs will always find loopholes around it and the smaller teams would struggle to compete as a consequence. Cardiff - I'm sure they will win the league for sure - have had many times fallen short, maybe it was just their time this year. Question is can they repeat it next, or will they be one season wonders like the Bears side of 2013?
Tony: That's a tough call for a Steelers fan to make, as we've implemented cheque book hockey in the past, and still beat all but a couple of rivals in terms of budget. Although it's a retrograde I wonder if we'll see a cap on rosters to just three lines to allow the 'poorer' teams to compete next year.
Eric: I don't go along with the theory that Cardiff have bought the title. I think Kelman, Lord and Co. had a 3 year vision by which they built their side up over that time. For me the Hotham brothers and retaining Bowns has been the deciding factor. As for wage cap. Rubbish! Open it wide, if the league want to improve and gain respect in the world ice hockey community, with better players being tempted to come to the UK to ply their trade, then we need to offer the salary..
6. If you could pick one current NHLer to come over for one season and one season alone to play for us, who would it be and why?
1. Five words on Saturday
Morale boosting but necessary win
Good Road Win In Clanland
Twitter hockey makes me sad
Worried about the new injuries
Twitter hockey makes me sad
Worried about the new injuries
Difficult pad. Good road win.
Hard earned win on road
2. Five words on Sunday
The Performance Of The Season
Finally beat Devils at home
Finally beat Devils at home
Played in your face hockey
Best 60 minutes all year
Finally some good wweet revenge
Finally some good wweet revenge
Massively enjoyable uplifting crowd pleaser
3. How good is Robert Dowd performing at the moment?
Eric: Simms has always called Dowd "The Golden Child" yet that's bit over the top if you ask me. However, the guy is really turning it on at the moment, what is it 6 in 6? Whatever his current stats are, you really have to admit that him, Nelson and Valdix are leading the way on point production within the Steelers side. Long may it continue. Going down the stretch "The Golden Child" may be the difference between silverware or not. Either way he really is finding his form at the right time.
Fergus: As per his name, he really is the golden child, could walk into any team he wanted (bar NHL) and we really need to make sure he stays here for good!
Mark: He always seem to come really alive at this stage of the season which is good for the supporters and club alike. The combination with his "Bash Brother" Levi (Nelson) and Andi "Yaldi" Valdix is probably the best line and consistent one all season. One hopes the chemistry is retained next season and helps us to some silverware; this. Despite his injuries this season, he's been almost a point a game and nobody can argue with that. Well can they?
Tony: Robert Dowd's form is a mystery to the scientific community, it's red hot for patches, and then immediately frozen out again. Love the energy he's playing with, and Nelson and Valdix seem to bring the best out of him. Still the Premium Brit forward in my books - just wish we knew how to keep him warm!
Nathan: Robert Dowd is on fire! He's in full on play off mode and not only him but that line of him Nelson and Valdix look unstoppable. A repeat performance on Saturday please guys!
Nicki: We all knew he would get through that bad spell. I'm so glad I choose to have his name in the back of my shirt this year. He never lets us down.
4. Which area of our team is the weakest link so far?
Mark: The problem is defence, or at times lack of. Fitzy has been solid as usual on his blue line whilst chipping here and there offensively. Ratchuk is better as a winger than in an offensive defence slot, Franzon is steady but he could be upgraded easily and Coyle isn't the same as he was last year - perhaps a change of tactic is to blame. "Shaggy" has done alright when BOC is just well, BOC. Didn't mind Björklund, he was steady and dependable just as I thought he would be.
Poor old Moose has been left hanging a few times this season; not as much as the Bears NM; but still he's been left exposed far too many times and we've been asking him to bail us out which isn't fair on the man.
Tony: Anything to do with the media. On Ice is fine. Back-office is OK. Media jumps from crisis to crisis and doesn't seem to want to change.
Nathan: The D is our weakest link and has been all season. Franzon and Coyle aren't good enough I'm sorry to say so that's at least 2 new D men the "Best Coach in the League" will have to find for next term.
Fergus: DEFENCE! It's almost non existant, we need to get in some big hard defenders who arent actually afraid to throw a hit every once in a while!
Nicki: Weakest link is still the D. We just don't have enough presence back there. Need much bigger guys to cope with the size of forwards the Devils and Belfast have.
Eric: By far and away the weakest link on the side is defence!! Most say that championship sides build from the back, and I believe that still holds true. Maybe the coach wanted entertaining, attacking hockey, but for me he got it wrong on his balance. To many offensive minded D men with not enough blue liners.. It's been a weakness from early on, with the coach seemingly neglecting our defence while bringing in forwards to shore up the it's shortfall. Unfortunately it will bite Thompson on the ass as history will show at the end of the season.
5. Cardiff have allegedly "bought" the title so far according to some, do you think there should be a salary cap enforced rigorously to avoid this happening?
Fergus: No definitely shouldn't be enforced rigorously, this year has been the best hockey we've seen across the league and it's only going to get better, even the smaller teams are looking promising.
Nathan: Any team with real aspirations of achieving success will spend money but they still have to win the thing and do so over 50 odd games of hockey so I don't for one minute subscribe to the 'bought the title' hogwash.They've earned every thing they get this season and good luck to them. I do however think a salary cap would help benefit parity across the league.
Nicki: I don't think their should be a cap. If other teams moan then they need to start stepping up to the plate and getting more money from sponsors into their own teams so that they have the same budgets to work with.
Mark: As much as there would be a good call for a salary cap, the question remains on how you would police such a thing? The bigger clubs will always find loopholes around it and the smaller teams would struggle to compete as a consequence. Cardiff - I'm sure they will win the league for sure - have had many times fallen short, maybe it was just their time this year. Question is can they repeat it next, or will they be one season wonders like the Bears side of 2013?
Tony: That's a tough call for a Steelers fan to make, as we've implemented cheque book hockey in the past, and still beat all but a couple of rivals in terms of budget. Although it's a retrograde I wonder if we'll see a cap on rosters to just three lines to allow the 'poorer' teams to compete next year.
Eric: I don't go along with the theory that Cardiff have bought the title. I think Kelman, Lord and Co. had a 3 year vision by which they built their side up over that time. For me the Hotham brothers and retaining Bowns has been the deciding factor. As for wage cap. Rubbish! Open it wide, if the league want to improve and gain respect in the world ice hockey community, with better players being tempted to come to the UK to ply their trade, then we need to offer the salary..
6. If you could pick one current NHLer to come over for one season and one season alone to play for us, who would it be and why?
Nicki: Tom Sestito because well he was just awesome wasn't he.....
Eric: Actually I wouldn't mind Tom Sestito gracing the arena again. I liked the professional way he approached his time with us. The guy obviously enjoyed his limited time at Sheffield during the lock out. He still follows the Steelers and keeps an eye on how they are performing.
Nathan: Mats Zuccarello. The guy is an absolute workhorse and a damn fine hockey player and with him being only 5'8" has a really low centre of gravity which allows him to change direction at almost a flick of a switch. Racks a decent amount of points up and is a real pain in the arse for most D. An absolute gem and I'd stick him and Dowd either side of The King.
Tony: I think any quality NHL player forced to play over here would be constantly trying to get back stateside, so we'd be best picking someone who fancies seeing out their final seasons abroad helping to grow the game. A third line net minder perhaps. A better shout might be someone from the Liiga or SHL who fancies sharpening up their English!
Fergus: Brent Burns, an all round great defender who hasn't lost his physical aspect which we have needed at times when we get bullied about. He has the ability to tilt a game, similar to the Fitzy of last season which we really miss, we have the attacking ability it's our defence that lacks.
Mark: If money was no object then I'd go for someone like Jonathan Toews of Chicago. The guy has leadership skills that are second to none, and is a complete clutch player that all teams would give their right arm proverbially for. Realistically, maybe a UFA defenceman or someone 300+ game AHLer in the same position would be ideal is the best we can hope.
And that's this week's soapbox for you.
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